Some rather unusual names - which ones do you like?

Traditionally it’s Lindsey for a girl and Lindsay for a boy. Quite popular 60 or 70 years ago. I rather like it.
Christabel is very pretty and as it’s never been exceedingly popular isn’t too dated. Easy for nn too.
Makenna isn’t too outlandish but I’m afraid the other names aren’t very pleasant

I like Christabel - also make me think of Christabel Pankhurst (the suffragette). It's familiar but never was wildly popular like some of the other Chris names like Christina, Christine, Kristin, Christopher so seems less "eighties" (or whatever decade those names are seen as!)

Lindsay also doesn't seem as "dated" to me as it's been used pretty consistently in Scotland (where as someone said already it's also a surname). I've seen the Lindsay spelling most often but have also seen some crazy spellings. I think Lindsay or Lindsey is fine; I'd stay away from Lynzi, etc.

Ayaka - I'm not familiar with the name but find the sound harsh. If you do have Japanese heritage or connections, I think Aiko and Akira are nice.

Citra - made me think of the beer, but I think the name is pronounced CHEE-tra?

Makena - I'd read this as mah-KAY-nah, and assume it was the East African name, not a variation of MacKenna.

McKenna just makes me think of that bald “I can make you thin” hypnotist guy who writes all the cheesy sounding self help books.

Agree that Ayaka could sound a bit horrible , particularly with some uk dialects that a strong k sound.

the rest are all ok

I really like Christabel because of christabel Pankhurst - good association. Also lots of nicknames - Chrissy and Bella etc.

Mine too.

If I had to pick one I'd go for Cristabel because of the suffragette. Lindsay isn't horrendous but it's not very exciting. I wouldn't use any of the others.

Gosh, you’re awfully touchy in response to a pretty mild comment OP, but fine. Hope you get what you want from your thread and have a nice day.

@TheBirdintheCave , according to one name site. Others say differently.

Ayaka - Yak for short?
Citra - sounds like a range of bathroom fittings
Lindsay - know loads of them with various spellings. Seems very 1970s
Christabel - best of the bunch but prefer Christina
Makena sounds like a brand of chainsaw

I like Christabel.

I think McKenna and McKenzie and their variations are more popular in the USA. Both nice names.

Lindsey or Lindsay are nice for a girl, I don’t like them as a boy’s name.

Christabel or Christobel are ok, but I much prefer Christina.

Sorry, I really don’t like the others on your list.

Ayaka - something sounds weird here
Citra - I quite like this, but sort of feels unfinished
Lindsay - I prefer without a d, think Lynsey looks best. But most people I know with that name are in their 40s
Christabel - it's a bit fairytale
Makena - awful spelling of Mackenna, but not keen either way.

Ayaka - Lovely in Japanese - it reminds me of the singer of that name whom I loved as a teenager. However, among white British folk, I think the pronunciation would not be nearly as nice.
Citra - I'm not sure of the pronunciation and I think you'd get a lot of citrus and Citroën comments.
Lindsay - Normal name, somewhat dated.
Christabel - Victorian name, not my personal style but I think it's okay. It reminds me of Christabel Pankhurst.
Makena - Looks like an African-style respelling of McKenna. I think it's alright but not my style again.

Uhm... nope.

If you look up Lindsay, it specifically says it comes from Lindsey.

"From an English and Scottish surname that was originally derived from the name of the eastern English region of Lindsey."

www.behindthename.com/name/lindsay

Lindsey is the root.

Lindsay is a Scottish surname.

Lindsey is a place in England.

This fairly reputable website says that the two are linked: www.ancestry.co.uk/name-origin?surname=lindsay

MacKenna is a Scottish surname meaning 'son of Kenneth'. I can't see how or why anyone would want to use it for a girl.

Christabel make me think of the suffragette (daughter of Emmeline) and of Colderidge's mock-medieval vampire (or witch) poem

Ayaka: I think it's too harsh in English, and makes me think of a yak or the word yuk

Citra: kinda cool, but sounds like a girl from a futuristic dystopian novel. I haven't heard of the beer, or it used as a name.

Lindsay: spelling issues. Dated. Don't think it's ready for a comeback yet.

Christabel: unusual to me as I've only met one in RL. It was spelt this way though. It's OK. Lots of good NN options.

Makena: sounds a bit downmarket to me. I'd use a different spelling to reflect your preferred pronunciation.

If you like Ayaka, what about Ayala?

I don't like any.

Ayaka (if I am pronouncing it right) seems like quite a harsh sound.
All varients of Lindsay are so overdone and dated.

Christabel looks spelt wrong.
Makena is not the same as Makenna soundwise. I hate the whole surname as first name thing anyway though. Very American.

Not normally interested in baby name threads but this is an unusual collection!

I only like Christabel of that list. Lindsay (whatever spelling) is a 60-something woman to me.

Ayaka and Makena sound like Turkish nightclubs.

Citra is ok but I think that's only because I know a lovely Citra.

Citra is a common Indonesian name - but note it is pronounced "Chitra" not "Sitra" or "Kitra" - (C in Indonesian is CH not S or K). Would be annoying telling people how to say it properly all the time!

Yes - Ayaka is Japanese, but I prefer Ayako - the "ah-yah-kah" sounds a bit harsh (Japanese A's are all short) and -ko endings are more associated with female names). I think the name Ayaka would be shortened to "Aya" most of the time

Not a fan of any of them, but also on paper I’d pronounce Makena differently to Makenna.

To me, Makenna is a short ‘ma’ with the emphasis on the ‘kenna’.
Makena is has more emphasis on the ‘Ma’ and a shorter ‘kena’, IYSWIM?

Christabel.

Really not keen on Makena as thought you'd pronounce it Make-na.

Ayaka was a drinking game I did at university

Nope

Well, I'm going to be honest and say I don't care much for most of them, but they're your name choices and if you like them then that's all that matters.

Ayaka - not sure how you pronounce this, but I think it's the worst of them all
Citra - I just think of citrus fruits
Lindsay - this is the female spelling, the male is with an 'e'. You'll probably have people spelling it the wrong way quite often
Christabel - If you called the child Chrissie or Christie then maybe. As the full version I don't like it
Makena - don't mine this one so much, but I'd probably spell it with two 'n's so that it's likely to get pronounced properly.